Flixwise Podcast

Lady P is joined by a pair of NYC film critics: Caroline Golum and Matt Prigge, to discuss the 69th (nice!) film on the Sight and Sound International Critics Poll: David Lynch's 1986 release, Blue Velvet. They talk about Lynch's manichean universe and his use of pastiche to emphasize his themes. Due respect is paid to the universally beloved artists that Lynch references in his work including Bobby Vinton, Roy Orbison, and Laura Dern. 

The Blue Velvet discussion then segues into Lynch's recent television output, the Twin Peaks reboot,  which leads to a discussion on auteurist television, and why certain directions can naturally transition between mediums. They then offer a wishlist of directors that they'd like to see run their own a show. 

Martin Kessler and David Blakeslee shimmy across a line between two towering films by certified auteur Robert Bresson, Pickpocket and A Man Escaped; at the 63rd and 69th spots on the Sight & Sound list respectively. They examine Bresson’s style & technique, the plausibility of A Man Escaped, consider if Bresson is more theatrical than he may lead us to believe, and examine Bresson’s (in)famous approach to performers. Will both Bresson films prove worthy of their position on the Sight & Sound list and escape to freedom, or be condemned to movie prison?  And where does Bresson's reputation stand? They shall discuss.

Sony executive Becky D'Anna joins Martin for a conversation about love, happiness, and digital color timing. They look at how Amélie fits into the filmography of Jean-Pierre Jeunet, and discuss its cast, visual style, and music as well as its enduring appeal. Becky relates Amélie to Terminator 2 and Martin gives his Paris hot take.

On today's show Lady P welcomes back Carol (2015) screenwriter, Phyllis Nagy, for an in-depth discussion of Phyllis' all-time-favorite film, Billy Wilder's Sunset Boulevard (1950). Phyllis isn't the only one celebrating her glorious return to Flixwise. This is also the second appearance of one Norma Desmond, or rather Lady P's rather embarrassing imitation of the silent age film star. Norma first appeared on our original Sunset Boulevard episode, which features Professor Joseph McBride offering behind the scenes details of the filming of this Wilder classic.

Today we're paying another visit to that old familiar street with Phyllis' personal take on the depiction of 1950s Hollywood. Lady P and Phyllis discuss their reactions to Gloria Swanson's bold representation of an aged actress, and how William Holden serves as an important ballast to Swanson's electric performance. Then Phyllis sets out to debunk some popular interpretations of the film - namely that it's either satirical or Campy. Phyllis tells listeners why she thinks critics often confuse a lack of sentimentality with satire, and offers up evidence for why she thinks Wilder was completely sincere in his depiction of these characters. Plus, Lady P and Phyllis offer up comparisons to other films of this era including All About Eve (1950), Sudden Fear (1952), and What Ever Happened To Baby Jane (1962) and talk about why Sunset Boulevard is truly "the greatest of them all".

And if you haven't already please go back and listen to Phyllis' previous episode in which she goes into detail on the making of Carol. Plus she and Lady P offer up a couple of suggestions on Isabelle Huppert movies that all film buffs should seek out. 

On today's show, get ready for some resentment, misery, and existential dread. That's right, it's Ingmar Bergman time!! Lady P is joined by Michael Leader of Film 4, and resident Bergman aficionado, Dave Eves, to discuss the 63rd movie on the Sight and Sound Critics' Poll, Wild Strawberries (1957). The film follows an elderly protagonist named Isak Borg, who's played by Victor Sjöström, on a road trip through the Swedish countryside. Along the way, he has a series of flashbacks that force him to take stock of his life and reevaluate his interpersonal relationships. While chalk full of Bergman's trademark combination of formal elegance and emotional violence, Wild Strawberries is one of few films of his that grants the viewer a spiritual reprieve. Characters are cruel to one another, but they're also capable of great generosity and unexpected warmth. This unexpected sentimentality makes Wild Strawberries one of Bergman's easiest watches, but is it worthy of the Top 100 of All Time? 

For our second topic, we jump off from Mr. Borg's experiences to discuss other "coming of old age" films. Works that delve into the complications of moving into life's latter-half aren't as prevalent as those dealing with the childhood to adolescent phase. However, there are number of powerful examples to discuss. Our panelists list a handful of their favorites, and they talk about the similarities and differences between "old-age films" other representations of transitionary periods (ie. adolescence, teenager-dom, quarter-life crises, etc.). Expect lots of sad-old-men and a surprising amount of Star Trek talk.

Burton Fischer returns to discuss with Martin the eclectic and profound body of work of Australian filmmaker, Peter Weir (Picnic At Hanging Rock, The Last Wave, Gallipoli, The Year of Living Dangerously, The Mosquito Coast, Fearless, The Truman Show)They talk about their impressions of his film, and unpack the Weir’s complex themes of spirituality, nature, culture, history and gender. They reflect on the many ambiguities in Weir’s films, discuss his dramatic tendencies, musical choices, common character types and the performances in his films. Then consider how he fits into Australian film, and his possible influence on other filmmakers.

On today's show, it's time for a good ole fashioned bro-down. For the 63rd entry on the Sight and Sound International Critics' Poll we have Howard Hawks' 1959 Classic Western/Hang-Out Movie, Rio Bravo. On hand to share his analysis and personal anecdotes from his encounters with the director is film historian and author of the book Hawks on Hawks, Professor Joseph McBride. McBride joins host, Lady P, for a discussion on what makes Rio Bravo the quintessential Hawks film. They also discuss the various performances, including the unintuitive pairing of the Duke persona and the overly loquacious Hawksian leading man, Dean Martin's unvarnished rendering of alcoholism, and the star turns by a young Angie Dickinson and the not-so-young Walter Brennan. They also talk about why Hawks chose to remake his masterpiece twice an whether either of the later versions hold up to the original. 

For our second topic, since Joe McBride is a noted Orson Welles expert we had him come and talk about the latest chapter in the ongoing saga of The Other Side of the Wind. Listeners will recall that McBride has previously talked about Welles notorious final unfinished masterpiece on this show. Historically these discussions have ended in a lament that this film will likely never be completed, much less made available for public. However, now that Netflix has kicked in the funds to see this project through to fruition, it seems the impossible may actually happen - we might actually get a chance to see this thing.

On this segment, McBride talks about his long history with this film, which includes both acting in it and eventually producing it, and he also talks about the various reasons for the long delay, and how optimistic he is that the project will finally make to your local theatre. 

Finally, we close things out with an update on McBride's recent works, including the publishing of a book collection of his critical and historical pieces called Two Cheers For Hollywood: Joseph McBride on Movies. Plus, Joe offers an update on his soon to be published book on famed German director Ernst Lubitsch. Stay tuned for further details! 

Martin is joined by film distributor and slow cinema guru Nadin Mai to discuss Wang Bing’s Tie Xi Qu: West of The Tracks, an over nine-hour long look at a collapsing industrial district in China. They look at how best to watch it, how it fits into Wang Bing’s body of work, whether it can even be classified as a documentary, and how it connects the present to the past. 

They switch rails to discuss the appeal of Slow Cinema. and then move on to look at the challenges and virtues of film distribution (where Martin admits to buying bootleg dvds). 

On today’s show, we have the 63rd entry on the Sight and Sound International Critics’ Poll, and the second Charlie Chaplin film on the list, Modern Times. We have a full assembly line of guests to look at the final outing of The Little Tramp.  Lady P welcomes Flixwsie art director Emma, Eclipse Viewer host David Blakslee, and criterion enthusiast Jason Beamish. Will they find it worthy of its spot on the list? How does it compare to Chaplin’s other films? More importantly how does it compare to Keaton’s? 

For our second topic we take inspiration from the factory life of Modern Times to look at industry in film. 

And then we close things out with some final notes of positivity.

Certified hoser Martin Kessler welcomes Wrongreel podcast host James Hancock to discuss the dark corner of cinema known as Canuxploitation. They look at tax shelter film funding, try to figure out what constitutes Canadian content, and attempt to wrap their heads around a parade of some of the strangest films ever made. Things go full-Cronenberg. Listen to find out if they think Canuxploitation was a worthy venture or a failed experiment, learn which popular Canadian film Martin hates, and speculate on the darker side of the Great White North.